Friday, October 29, 2010

Call me sick, call me weird, you can even call me gross, but don't call me heartless... I have a heart, really, I do. It just happens to be on my plate right now. Yes, another disgusting dish for the #GreatHallowTweet , the fabulous Halloween Bloghop originated and hosted by my friend Renee of Flamingo Musings.

I've always wanted to try poached pears. It seemed like a fabulous way to create inexpensive elegance for guests, with minimal effort. When thinking of ideas for the #GreatHallowTweet, this recipe came to mind when I noticed that ones of the pairs I had resembled a heart shape. I adjusted the recipe to the ingredients I had on hand, resulting in a bloody delicious treat I must say!

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a 2 qt saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover, simmering for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the stems of the pears and peel, slightly slicing off both the top and bottom of pears. I rounded the top a bit, giving it more of a "heart" shape look.

Add the pears to the saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes. Keep turning the pears in the pan to distribute the flavor and color evenly, until they have reached a rich, deep, red. Remove pears gently from saucepan and let cool.

Remove the remaining cloves, lemon peel, and cinnamon stick. Let the remaining sauce simmer in saucepan until reduced by about 1/3rd (5-10 minutes), watching carefully so as not to burn.

Actually if you sat the pear up - so its standing and retained the stem or had a pretty little mint leaf sticking out - this would be a pretty and healthy dessert for the holidays - because all associations with a beating throbbing hear wouldn't be there.

Wow you have taken my breath away! Gross? All I see is the fabulous elegance of this plate. I think poached fruit is so sexy and sophisticated but I've never done it. This is gorgeous and your plating is stunning!